


Partner

by NancyandNed



Series: Today Until Forever [7]
Category: Nancy Drew - Carolyn Keene
Genre: Angst, Established Relationship, F/M, Fluff, Fluff and Angst, Late Night Conversations, Love, Promises, Teen Romance, Teenagers, Unexpected Visitors, Valentine's Day
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-04-05
Updated: 2020-04-05
Packaged: 2021-03-01 05:29:10
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,395
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/23499811
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/NancyandNed/pseuds/NancyandNed
Summary: Nancy fears the worst after her first big fight with Ned.
Relationships: Nancy Drew/Ned Nickerson
Series: Today Until Forever [7]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1665985
Kudos: 12





	Partner

They'd had their first fight just that afternoon.

Nancy tossed and turned in her bed unable to sleep. Her clock glowed showing her the time- 2:53am.

She was supposed to have hung out with him after school. But then she'd been so caught up with the case of the library vandalism that she'd just...forgotten all about it.

And when she, George and Bess had finally come out to the parking lot an hour late, he'dstill been waiting for her.

Nancy had never seen him so upset and so... hurt. And then he'd been angry and had said some words she hoped he didn't mean. Then she'd gotten ticked off and added some more words that she definitely, definitely hadn't meant.

In the end, he had just left racing in his car, leaving her staring after him.

George and Bess had heard the whole thing and they had invited themselves over to Nancy's house. But despite their best efforts at cheering her up, it hadn't changed her mood and they left trying to assure her that everything would soon be alright.

But Nancy did not feel so sure. She had been angry in the afternoon but she'd realised it quite soon that it had been her fault. He wouldn't have been so upset if she'd just given him a message. And knowing him, he would have been just as happy to spend their date helping her out on the case.

But she'd messed up everything. They had argued a few times before but they had never had a fight this big. All the times her phone had rung since the afternoon, she had dashed to it hoping it was a call or a message for him. But there had been none. A hundred times, she had almost called him but then she didn't know what to say.

Would he forgive her?

For the first time ever, she was glad her father was away on business. Ned had invited her for a party in one of his basketball teammate's house and she had already taken permission to go. Explaining to her father why she suddenly didn't want to go would have been awkward.  
Somehow remembering face right before he'd left, she had known he wouldn't call her about the party. The thought of all the pretty cheerleaders fawning over him made her want to punch something.

She wasn't insecure. Ever since they'd gotten together nine months ago, he had never even glanced at another girl. But he was angry with her now and...

Nancy turned and her eyes fell on a piece of paper sticking out of the book on her side table.

It was the letter she had intended to give Ned next week on Valentine's Day. Their first Valentine's Day. Her eyes welled up with fresh tears. Would she ever get the chance?

She was about to flip over again when she heard knocking. Looking around she determined it was coming from the French windows that led to the balcony.

For a second she was scared. Her father wasn't home, Hannah's bedroom was downstairs in another corner of the house and if it was a burglar...

But why would a burglar knock? Was it George? She had sneaked out a few times like this before. Taking a deep breath, she threw on her dressing gown, removed the curtains and threw open the windows.

Ned stood there, his hands in his pockets, a shy expression on his face. A blast of cold air hit her and she shivered, both from cold and anticipation.

"Ned! What are you doing here? Come in!"

She didn't need to question how he had gotten to the second floor. A tree grew right next to the balcony and Nancy had herself climbed it several times over the past years.

"Quick question before I do." Ned whispered. "Does your dad own a gun?"

Nancy shook her head. "He isn't home."

He was just about to step into her room when he stopped.

"What about Hannah?"

That made Nancy laugh, breaking the tension. The image of sweet old Hannah within an arm's reach of a gun was just too absurd.

"No, silly. Now come in before you and I both get hypothermia." She pulled him into the room and shut the door.

"Nan, I just, uhh I shouldn't have shouted at you. I'm sor..." Ned started to say but she shut him off with the kind of kiss that she hoped would make him believe that it wasn't his fault.

"Oh." He said when they had finally parted, his words forgotten.

"Ned, I'm the one who's sorry. I really am. I should have at least sent a message. Can you forgive me?"

"We both lost our heads for a while. I don't think there's anything to forgive." Ned touched her cheek tenderly. "Wait, Nan are you crying?"

"No." Nancy shook her head, hugging him.

"I'm just glad to see you."

They sat together on the rug on the ground at the foot of her, his arms around her and her head against his chest. It was a long time before she finally spoke.

"How was the party?"

"I didn't go. I played video games at Mike's and then crashed at his place."

Mike, one of Ned's classmates lived just a few doors down from Nancy's house.

"So that's why I didn't hear your car." She said.

He nodded. "I'm sorry if I woke you up."

"You didn't. I couldn't sleep."

His arms tightened around her.

"I couldn't either. In the afternoon I was angry because I hadn't expected to be stood up. But then later I kept thinking that maybe sometimes I just take up too much of your time. Keep you away from doing things that you like, like solving mysteries."

"Ned. I love solving mysteries but there's nothing I love more than spending time with you. I'm sorry I forgot about our date. Ireally didn't mean to."

He turned her until she was looking right into his eyes.

"Nan, you know, when I first saw you that day on the field, it wasn't love at first sight. You were the prettiest girl I'd ever seen, of course I noticed that but I didn't instantly fall in love. That happened later that night when I came with you on the stakeout. That's when I saw how smart you were, that's when I saw that fire in your eyes when you're solving a case, that absolutely beautiful smile on your face when you finally manage to crack it. And that's when I knew I'd end up loving you."

"Ned,.." She started to say, placing her palm against his chest.

She could feel his heart race under her fingers.

"No, hear me out." He continued. "Nan, your passion is one of things I love the most about you and it would kill me if you decide to just stop because of me or anyone else for that matter. It is a part of who you are and I admire you for that. And I'll always be ready if you need my help. I don't care if we have to spend our date chasing criminals or hunting for clues in a dumpster. And I'm okay even if you don't want my help. All you need to do is let me know. Can you do that?"

Nancy reached up to touch his face.

"Ned, I will never not need your help. You're smart, strong, reliable and the sweetest person I know. I know my cases sometimes come in the way of relationships. It's not just you. Sometimes it's George and Bess too. But let's just promise that one of us ever feels upset we'll talk about it and not fight."  


"Okay." Ned brushed his lips against her fingers.

"And I suppose if I ever get a case where I have to chase down criminals, I have a proposition for you." She continued.

"And what might that be, Drew?"

"We should partner up."

"You mean Drew and Nickerson, the detective duo?"

"Yes. Drew and Nickerson, the detective duo. Although we'll have to think up a catchier name."

"I couldn't be more honoured." He grinned against her ear.

"So how about we seal the deal with a kiss, partner?" She smiled back.

"Deal, partner." He leaned down to kiss her and her heart soared.


End file.
